Nicky Wire has admitted he's "extremely nervous" about the release of the new Manic Street Preachers album - because it's more commercial than anything they've done before.

The bass player and writer said there was "no get-out clause" for Postcards From A Young Man.

He said: "[I still get nervous], especially with this record because we've put a lot of pressure on ourselves because we've made something genuinely commercial and we're well aware of the fact that it could either really connect with people or be a complete stiff."

Describing the sound, he said he and bandmate James Dean Bradfield were inspired by the idea of "mixing pop with classic rock melody mixed with some sort of classic 70s rock sound, like Van Halen playing songs by The Supremes or Queen playing songs by Abba".

Wire added that his music is less angry and political than it was before, even though the band's current single It's Not War (Just The End Of Love) is about the selling off of chocolate brand Cadburys.

He said: "We still hate everyone but it's not all-out war any more, it's tempered.